This past April while visiting my parents on the farm I'd grown up on, I
wandered outside to drink in the feel of "home", a comfort I really needed right
then. I was used to sunny Southern Californian morning and the brisk
early-morning Iowan air nipped at my nose, ears and bare hands.With my father's
fleece-lined jacket wrapped around me, and my hands snuggled deep in its
well-worn pocket I meandered around the spacious homestead when the unexpected
sweet scent of lilacs suddenly called to me. Turning toward the bountiful hedge
of lilacs in the distance, I spotted what looked like blooms. I hurried over.The
lavender lilacs were indeed in glorious bloom! I pulled a plentiful clump to my
face and inhaled the intoxicating scent, as I had done every springtime
throughout my childhood. A warm delight seeped through my chilled bone and I
smiled at the thought that spring had arrived!Strolling back to the house, the
promise of springtime—warmth, renewal and beauty—journeyed right along with
me.My father sat at the kitchen table, poring over the morning market
reports."It's spring! The lilacs are in bloom!" I joyously announced."Lilacs in
bloom or not, it isn't spring until winter is gone," he contradicted. "We'll get
a bit of cold weather yet."
But my heart refused to let the optimism that the
lilacs had brought to me fade. Immediately, I recalled the card my mother had
sent me just that past week—one that had subconsciously inspired this trip to ball mill
factory. My mother knew that I was feeling down. On the cover of the card she
sent me was a photo of a single flower emerging from a desolate barren slope of
rock. The exquisite flower willed itself to have life, in spite of the
conditions around it. Inside were the words "In the midst of winter, I found
within me an eternal spring," followed by my mother's words:"Spring has always
been your favorite time of year. As alway it's within."These are words that my
mother, ever the optimist, lives by. Even in the midst of winter, she finds
spring."It's pouring rain!" Dad once said."Everything smells so fresh after a
rain!" Mom responded."But I'd wanted to get the yards mowed today," he replied,
obviously disappointed."We need the rain," she countered. "Now everything will
be greener.""But the forecast is rain for the entire day," Dad moaned."Then we
should go to the movies this afternoon," Mom smiled."It's so expensive," he
retorted."That's precisely why we should go to the matinee," she countered.
"Three of the kids can get in free, and it's only half-price for the rest of
us."Recalling this Rockwell scene of a Sunday afternoon when I was twelve, I'm
reminded that for my mother torrential rains produced a rainbow, and there was
always a pot of gold at the end of it. I love her sense of joy and optimism. And
her ever-ready willingness to share it.Throughout my childhood and over the
course of my adult year when I met with succes my mother presented me with a
bouquet of lilacs. And on the days when the lemons were so bitter they simply
couldn't be made into lemonade, no matter how much sugar was added, like the day
a good friend passed away; like the day when a long-standing love relationship
ended… lilacs arrived from my mother with a note of understanding to match their
beauty and sweet fragrance."Spring has always been your favorite time of year,"
she always reminded. "As alway it's within."
上一篇: Role of coal mining plays in ball mill development 下一篇: Common injuries of large open gears
发表评论 评论 (0 个评论)